How Much Should You Pay For Water Restoration?
Not all water damages are equal when it comes to the amount that water restoration companies will charge you. Water from “clean” sources like pipe, rain, or storm water are easier to manage and less costly to clean up. On the other hand, water damage from sewer lines or leaks that are only detected after mold has grown can be costly to manage.
While some companies charge per square foot when dealing with water damage issues in homes, other factors may influence the final amount that you spend on water restoration.
- Size Of the Affected Area
The bigger the affected area, the more expensive it can be to clean up. It will take more materials, manpower, and time to fix a whole home that’s flooded compared to a few square feet of water damage.
- Items Or Materials That Were Damaged
The cost of water restoration also varies with the items or materials that were affected by water damage. Hardwood floors, for instance, maybe easier to repair than walls, trim, or carpet. If there are materials to be repaired or replaced, the cost of restoration may also go up.
- Type of Water
The state or type of water that caused the damage may also affect the overall cost of water restoration considering that some types of water need more time and equipment to deal with. The dieter the water, the more the treatments needed during restoration and the higher will be the final costs. The worst-case scenario is black water or sewerage water that is mixed with human waste and water that has been used for showering or washing dishes (also known as greywater). Mitigation of the mentioned types of water tends to be expensive because of the special treatments needed to get rid of potential contaminants.
- Additional Restoration work
Other issues may also add to the cost of water damage restoration, including:
- If the water levels reached documents or your treasure cabinets, document drying may be needed to restore them. This will also increase the cost significantly as companies charge based on the number of documents that are taken for drying.
- How long the water was in your home before being detected may also affect the final costs that you pay for the restoration. If there is mold growth, for instance, you may need to spend on mold remediation services, which increases your costs further.
- If the water damage was caused by pipe leaks, you may need to invest in leak detection systems to alert you before potential leaks wreak havoc in the future.
It is not fun to pay for water restoration and it is certainly not cheap. However, ignoring any form of water damage can lead to a lot of problems like rot, mold, and even structural damage that may be irreparable. So, the initial cost of water restoration is far lower than what you would pay down the line if you don’t take action now. Most importantly, ask for a detailed estimate of the amount of work that a water restoration company will perform (before they start the actual work) to budget for further restorations if necessary.
